The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-03-09
JACOB AT BETHEL.
Notes Upon the Sunday School
Lesson for March IL.


SPECIAL MENTION
Bethel. 1t a remarkable fact that, won
derful as were the events recorded in the Old
Testament as happening at Bethel. there is
not single reference to it in the New. 1t was
still an inhabited town in the time of our Sa-
vior, for it was afterward, according TO Jo-
sephus, besitged and captured by Yespasian
on his march to Jerusalem With single
mention by Jerome, which is one of the proofs
as 90 its site, 1t is unheard OF afterward, until
modern explorers began to seek for traces OF
its location. Its earlier history, as the place
where God manifested him self TO his chosen
servants, was by far the grandest part of its
record.-HGckett
The interesting spot is believed to have been
about twelve miles from Jerusalem. on the
road to Shechem. The ruins of Beitin have
been fixed upon by travellers as probably the
exact site of the city. They lie on the brow
of a low HILL not far from which is another
and higher mount thickly strewn to the top
with stones Of suitable shape for altar build
ing, supposed To be the mountain on which
Abraham reared an altar to Jehovah Gen
xii ., and where the separation took place
between him and Lot when their herdsmen
could no longer agree. (ELdniner) Other
events connected with Bethel III Scripture
may be found in Judg. Xxx. Is, 1928; SAM
vii 49, ! XII xii; Chron. xiii 10; z HI. IL 3,
2i; XII K -, 20; Amos VI 4-6; " 2l-23;
vii IL.
Isaac The story Of Isaac is brief; his life
uneventful, perhaps We might say monoto-
nous The record shows that the Lord ap-
peared to HIM on two distinct occasions: At
Gerar (Gen. 20: 2-5), renewing the covenant
previously made with Abraham with a very
full restatement of all its salient points; also
at Beersheba We see point of his charac-
ter in the fact stated incidentally that Esau's
marriage into Hittte families was a grief of
mind to Isaac and to Rebekah." AS to Isaac
one point only is named of him by the writer
to the Hebrews in his catalogue of illustrious
examples of faith by faith Isaac blessed
Jacob and Esau concerning things to come"
Ql:2O). These benedictions recorded Gen.
%: 2S, %, 33, 81, 80, 40) must be regarded as
far more than venerable fathers good
wishes-indeed as nothing less than pro-
phelic benedictions, words uttered under the
divine impulses OF the Holy Ghost Their
broad outlook embraced the great outlines of
the future history of the two nations that were
before him in the person OF his two sons
COples.
Jacob and Esau--In Jacob and Esau the
good and evil are so mingled that at first we
might be at loss which to follow which to
condemn. But yet taking the two from first
10 last, how entirely is the judgment of Scrip
ture and of posterity confirmed by the result
of the whole! The mere impulsive hunter
vanishes away light "a air. The substance,
the strength of the chosen family, the true
inheritance of the promise of Abraham, was
interviewer with the very essence of the char
acter of the "plain man, dwelling In tents,
steady, persevering, moving onward with
deliberate, settled purpose, through years of
suffering aud of prosperity, Of exile and re-
turn, OF bereavement and recovery On
the one hand, fckleness, unsteadiness,
weakness, want Of faith and want of
principle, ruin and render useless the
noble qualities of the first; and, on the
other hand, steadfast purpose, resolute sac
ritice of present to future, fixed principle
purify, elevate turn to listing good, even the
baser qualities of the second. -Stdnley
When you look at the entire lives OF Jacob
and Esau, respectively, you find that while
Esau was far better IN the beginning Jacob
was far better in the end There was very
good material in Esaus compositions; but
what did he make of it? He sold his birth
right He turned away from God. Instead of
gong up, he went down. There was very
poor material in Jacobs composition but
he accepted God as his God; and his path,
though by no means straight, was, never
theless, in the main, an upward path So
Jacob grew better and better, and rose higher
and higher, until we find him, at last
veritable saint, noble old man, before he diss.
Abraham was hero; Isaac was a saint; but
Jacob was a sinner. The biography of Jacob
comes closer home to many of us than the
history of the others. There are few Abra-
hams; not large number of Isaacs but
great many Jacobs, to whom it IL most COM
| forting to know, that, however poor stuff we
are made of by nature, God can make of us, if
1
unto honor, sanctitied, and meet, for the mas
| ter's use, and prepared unto every good work
And are there not times in the history OF us all
when ii is peculiar support to our faith to be
able to call on God as "the God of Jacob?"-
GIBSON
CONNECTING LINK.
Many striking changes have occurred since
| the events of the last lesson. Sarah died
probably some twelve years after the scene
at Mt Moriah, and was buried in the cave of
Machpelah near Hebron Chap 23) Some
| three years later, Isaac was married at forty
years of age to his cousin Rebekah CHAP. 24).
| Twenty years later, Esau and Jacob were
born, when Abraham was 160 years old CHAP.
%: 1920. Fifteen years later Abraham died,
aged l75 years, and was buried by Isaac
and Ishmael in the cIve of Machpeah (chap.
| %: 7-l0). Probably few years after this,
Esau sold his birthright TO Jacob CHAP.
%: 27-34). After Abrahams death, Isaac
| dwelt short time at Laha-r oi in the south
ern part of tiPalestine, but on account
of famine was about to go down into Egypt,
and seems to have gone as far as Gerar,
which was on the main route to Egypt, when
the Lord appeared to him and directed him
to remain in the land of Canaan. For time
he made his home at Gerar and practiced
! deceit similar TO that which his father had
| practiced upon Abimelech CHAP. 20) and
Pharaoh tchap. 22), though it does not seem
to have come 80 near occasioning quarrel -
Standard Eclectic ConnentdTU
Esau hated Jacob for obtaining the birth
| right blessing IN his stead, and determined to
| kill his brother as soon as his father should
| die. To avert the danger, Rebekah sent away
Jacob 10 her family at Hsran. Isaac approved
the plan, as securing proper marriage for
| his son, to whom he repeated the blessing of
| Abraham, and sent him away to Padanearam.
! And 30 the heir of the promises retraced as
solitary wanderer with nothing but the
staff he carried, the path by which Abraham
| had traversed Canaan. Proceeding north
ward, he lighted on place, the site doubtless
| OF Abraham's encampment near Bethel, where
| he found some stones, which probably be-
longed to the altar set up by Abraham, one of
which he made his pillow. Thus forlorn,
amid the memorials of the covenant, he was
visited by God in a dream. -SDiiM.
| TOPIC AND OUTLINE
| In the lesson we have different views Of the
believer and his Lord in various relations and
experiences
l. The believer guided bv his Lord Tvs. 10.
| ID Ul in all places, cg at all times, (3) under
all circumstances.
| . The believers gracious vision Of his Lord
| Tvs - l3) % as multiplying and adapting
his grace Cl) "a operatng.efiicienty c}) as con-
stantly present with his followers.
3 The believer blessed by his Lord Tvs. IL.
15l ~ as to inheritance C9 as to race enlarge
ment and endowment, (5l i'm the promise of
divine help, and (4) in assurances respecting
| the future
T. The believers reverence for his Lord Tvs
| l6, IL is % an intelligent reverence, CO a
| solemn reverence, C) Joyous reverence.